The Effects ofPati Time Employment.

On High School Seniors'

Career Choice

by

Daniel C. Weiland

A Research Paper Submitted in Patiial Fulfillment of the

Requirements for the Master of Science Degree

III

Education

Approved: 2 Semester Credits

The Graduate School

University of Wisconsin-Stout

May, 2010

1

Author:

Title:

The Graduate School University of Wisconsin-Stout

Menomonie, WI

Weiland, Daniel C.

The Effects of Part Time Employment on High School Seniors' Career

Choice

Graduate Degree/ Major: MS Education

Research Adviser: Kimberly Martinez, Ph.D.

Monthrvear: May, 2010

Number of Pages: 34

Style Manual Used: American Psychological Association, 6th edition

Abstract

This study was done to detern1ine students' perceptions of the relationship between

2

having a pali time job while in high school and the influence those experiences had on students'

career and/or educational choices after high school. Many studies have been conducted that

explored how other factors influence a student's choices in careers and education after high

school.

Male and female high school seniors, 18 years old or older, were chosen as the subjects

for this study. The subjects were given a survey instrument and asked about job type, hours

worked per week, and if their job had any influence on their choices for what careers they were

planning on pursuing. The students were asked to give their opinions on the impact of their part

time employment and their plans for the future.

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Approximately 40% of the students surveyed stated that their part time employment

influenced them. Of that population, females were more likely to pursue careers in the medical or

educational fields having had related jobs that offered positive feedback. Furthermore, males

were more likely to have had negative work experiences and made statements that confirmed

their decisions to not want to do that kind of work in the future.

The Graduate School University of Wisconsin Stout

Menomonie, WI

Acknowledgments

4

I would like to thank many people for helping me in my graduate work and in this study.

First my patient wife, Beth, thanks hon. Second, Dr. Alan Block, many classes together, always

was a fun discussion. Finally, my thesis advisor, Dr. Kimberly Martinez, we got it done!

5

Table of Contents

....... .. ........... ......... ................ ........................ .. .......... .... ..... .... ...................................................... Page

Abstract .. .. ... .. ...... ........ ........................................... ....... ......... ... ....................................... ...... .. .. ...... 2

List of Tables ..... ........ ... .................................... ....... .. .... .............. ............................................... ..... 7

Chapter I: Introduction .................................................................................................................. .. 8

Statement of the Problem ...... ............................... ... .. ... .... ..................... .. ... .. ............ ....... .... . 9

Research Questions ................ ......... .. ..... ........................... ... ... .... ..... ...... .... ........ ... .. ... ......... . 9

Definition of Terms ............................................................................................................ 10

Assumptions and Limitations ....... .............. ............. ...... .................................................... 10

Chapter II: Literature Review ........................................................................................................ 11

Family Influence .............................. .......... ... .... .. ..... .................................................. ....... . 11

Subject Influence ............................................................................................................... 12

Personality Influence ......................................................................................................... 13

Other Influences .................................................................................................... .... ....... .. 13

Part Time Work Influence ............................................................................................. .. .. 14

Summary .. ................................................. ..... .......... ......................................... ................. 16

Chapter III : Methodology .................................. .... ..... ........ .... ... ................................ .... .. .. .... .. ...... 17

Subject Selection and Description ..................................................................................... 17

Instrumentation ............................................................................................................... ... 17

Data Collection ............................................. .... ...... .. ..... .. ..... .......................... .. ... ............. . 17

Data Analysis ....... ....... ....................................................................................................... 18

Limitations .... .... ..................... ...... ............ ...... ... .......... .... .... ... ............ ... ...................... ....... 18

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Chapter IV: Results ........................................................................................................................ 19

Introduction ........................................................................................................... ... .. ........ 19

Demographics ........ ......... ................. .. ....... ... ... .... ........... .................. ....... ........................... 19

Type of Business ... ....... ........ .... ........................... ............... .................. .. ............ ................ 19

Hours per Week ....................................................................... .......................................... 21

Job Satisfaction .... .. ..... ..... ................................ .... ............................... ............ ................... 21

Post High School Plans ...................................... ........................................ .................... .... 22

Influences on Post Secondary Plans .................................................................................. 22

P31t Time Employment Influence ...................................................... ..... ........................... 23

Career Choice ................... ..... ....... ............... ... ................. ..... .............................................. 23

Chapter V: Discussion ........... .. ...................... .... ... ... .............................................. ........................ 25

Introduction ......... ... ......................... ................................. ............................................... ... 25

Limitations ......................................................................................................................... 25

Discussion of Survey Results ............................................................................................. 25

Conclusion ................. ... .... ....... .... ........... ....................... .. .... .................... ........ .. ... ............ . 28

References ...................... ..... ............................... .... .. .. ..... ...... .. ................. .... .......... ..................... ... 29

Appendix A: Student Survey ......... .... ........................... .... .. ............................... .... .... .... ... ............. 31

Appendix B: Consent Form ........... ........... ........... .. ...... .... ................ ........................ ............ .......... 33

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List of Tables

Table 1: Student Employment Types ... .......................................................................................... 20

Table 2: Student Employment Types (Those Students Influenced by Pati-Time Employment) .. 21

Table 3: Influences on Post Secondary Plans ................................................................................ 22

Table 4: Career Choice .................................................................................................................. 23

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Chapter I: Introduction

It is not uncommon for a high school aged student (typically 14-18) to have a patt

time job. Students' places of employment can vary widely depending on the community. Typical

employers are fast food restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations, retail stores, and landscaping

companies, among others. Some students work during the summer months, some work during

the school year, and some do both. How does working impact these students? There have been

several studies that have explored the relationship of students having a patt time job while still in

high school. Some studies have looked at how employment affects grades (Oettinger, 1999;

Singh, Chang, and Dika, 2007; Rothstein, 2007). Some studies have explored how they affect

social relationships; both family and friends (Weller, Kelder, Cooper, Basen-Enguist, &

Tortolero, 2003). Also some studies have even looked at how having a patt time job in school

affects delinquency and behavior (Paternoster, Bushway, Brame, & Apel, 2003).

However, what kind of influence does pali time work have on young adults' choice of

career and education after high school? Does it help guide them? Does it help prepare them?

Does it give them additional training in a certain area?

Many things influence young adults as they grow both physically and mentally. In the

area of career and/or educational choices, several factors have been determined that help

persuade students to make a career choice. Some studies have shown that parents influence

career and post high school education choices (Kniveton, 2004). Perhaps students want to follow

in the footsteps of a parent, or do even better than what their parents did. Siblings can have a

strong influence as well; the child perhaps wants to copy what the sibling chose to do, or sibling

rivalry takes place. Then again, maybe it was a teacher at school that influenced a career choice.

It could have been an interesting class, an exciting lesson, or a fun lab that the student took part

in that influenced the student's post high school choice. Maybe it was a guidance counselor, or

9

someone at the local church such as a pastor. In short, relationships and people influence others

in what they do. What other factors might influence people's choices? What about students' pali

time jobs? How much impact does that have on career choices?

During the school year many high school students work anywhere from five to over

twenty hours per week. Sometimes students work even more during the summer months. If a

student is putting in so much time at a job site, it must be likely that thoughts, feelings, and

opinions are being created by the individual about the work that is being done there. Does this

information influence the next steps after high school?

Conceivably, it is possible that only certain types of work have major influences on students as

they make their post high school choices. A high school student's type of employment can vary

widely. This author alone (when in high school) worked as a cook, landscaper, office assistant,

and a park counselor. Is there a relationship to the type of work, and its impact on student's post

high school choices?

Statement of the Problem

The purpose of this study is to determine students' perceptions of the relationship

between having a part time job while in high school and the influence those experiences can have

on students' career and/or educational choices after high school.

Research Questions

This study addressed the following questions:

1. Does working a part time job influence a student's career choice?

2. Does the type of business a student works for influence a student's career choice?

3. How does gender in relation with pali time employment influence a student's career

choice?

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Definition of Terms

There are multiple terms that are mentioned throughout the text that need to be defined.

While the terms are common, they have a general meaning in this research that needs to be

clarified.

Part time employment - any job that a person would have that is less than 40 hours per

week.

Restaurant - this includes fast food, diners, cafeterias, chain restaurants, and fine dining.

Retail Store - this includes local shops, clothing stores, chain stores, and any other store

that sells common consumer goods.

Entertainment - this includes movie theaters, golf courses, sporting events, and any

other form of businesses whose main product is fun and recreation.

Working with Children - this includes, tutoring, daycare, babysitting, camps, coaching,

and parks.

Medical - this includes hospitals, pharmacies, and nursing homes.

RIASEC - Holland Codes for personality type. These include realistic, investigative,

artistic, social, enterprising, and conventional. The Holland Codes are based on the

research of Dr. John L. Holland. The Holland Codes are useful for helping people to

make sense of the relationship between personality type and occupation.

Assumptions and Limitations

It is assumed that all subjects will be honest when completing the survey. The biggest

limitation of this study is that it cannot be generalized to the larger population since the subjects

used were convenient and not randomized. This is difficult when some subjects may not be able

to participate due to illness or absenteeism. Additionally the survey instrument has not been

validated since the author created his own survey.

II

Chapter II: Literature Review

Studying how pmt time work affects high school students is not a new idea. Many studies

and articles have been done on how employment impacts students' academic work, extra­

curricular activities, physical health, and mental health. Primarily this study will be focusing on

how part time work influences career and education choices.

Most career and educational choices are not made on a whim. It is over time that students

formulate ideas and decisions about what they choose to do after high school. Kniveton (2004)

stated, " the task of choosing a career is not static but pmt of the developmental process" (p. 47).

It is over several years, particularly for most during their adolescence, that students change their

minds many times about what they want do after high school.

Several different studies have identified elements that have influenced high school

students in the career and post secondary educational choices. These elements have been

identified as; family, subject interest, and personality. However, part time work experience has

not been included on this list.

Family Influence

Kniveton (2004) explores several different types of influences on teenage students, the

main influence being family. Parents have a major impact on what students choose to do. Parents

lead by example. When considering gender of the child, Kniveton also found that the child is

more likely to be influenced more by a parent of the same sex. Paa and Hawley-McWhilter

(2000) found that the gender of the parents weighed heavily on the influence of the child ,

especially with girls. Paa et al. states (2000), "The female palticipants in our study seemed to be

aware of the strong influences that similar role models such their mothers, female teachers,

female friends exerted on their career expectations" (p. 39). While Paa et al. also found other

influences on students, family, particularly the parents, was the biggest factor.

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Additionally, Kniveton (2004) explored the influence of the siblings. Brothers and sisters

offer competition. More often than not, the younger siblings were more influenced by their older

siblings than their parents. Kniveton investigated ~ther issues as well, but according to him it is

family that has the strongest impact on what these teenagers are choosing to do. "The influence

of schoolteachers on career choice is far less than that of parents" (Kniveton, 2004, p. 56). A

number of studies have found the same conclusions (Wintre et al., 1988; Small & McClean,

2002; and Domene, Shapka, & Keating, 2006).

Subject Interest

Other than family, picking a career to pursue based on one's interest is quite common. If

a student enjoys working in the auto shop class, that student is likely to pursue a career as a

mechanic, or if a student is interested in business classes, then it could be conceivable that

student would pursue a career in a related field such as accounting or marketing. Malgwi, Howe,

and Burnaby (2005) interestingly found that parents were not the biggest factor in influencing

students' career choices. In their study they found that interest was the most influential factor,

followed by aptitude in a subject and level of pay. According to Malgwi et al.:

Both men and women were most strongly influenced in their initial major choice by their

interest in the subject, there were several gender differences. For example, women were

strongly influenced by their aptitude in the subject and men significantly less so, whereas

men were significantly more infl uenced than women by the level of pay in the field. (p.

279)

When looking at parent influence in Malgwi et al.'s study, it ranked sixth among factors

influencing choice of major. While Malgwi et al. surveyed college students ages 18 to 25,

Kniveton surveyed high school students age 14 to 18. Perhaps the difference in age caused the

13

students in Malgwi et af. 's study to look at how their choices were influenced differently over

time.

Personality Influence

Being interested in certain subject areas would align closely with personality type; at

least this is the thought of researcher John Holland. In his book, Holland (1997) discusses the six

types of personalities, RlASEC, known as Holland Codes. His work is the basis today for most

career inventories. He gives examples of the types of careers that one would tend to pursue based

on his personality codes. According to Holland, everyone is made up of the six different types,

but it varies in how they rank within one's self. As his theory is applied in job types, it is

typically only the two or three most dominant personality types that are used for occupation

guidance. While Holland acknowledges that the theory continues to be refined, he urges people

to continue his study and for people to utilize it for career exploration.

Because personality relates to interests, both of these factors together could help guide a

high school student into a career path. Following Holland ' s theory, high school students would

then most likely want to take on part time jobs that align within their interests and therefore align

with their personalities.

Other Influences

Studies have shown that other factors also have been found to influence career choice.

Some examples of these are teachers, guidance counselors, and goals. Daire, LaMothe, and

Fuller (2007) found that both African American and white college students stated that future

income was an influence on the career path that they had chosen. Additionally counselors have

had a slight effect on students' career choice, According to Domene el af. (2006):

Counselors were the most frequently cited source of SUppOlt for students' educational

planning needs. Unfortunately, the present study was unable to explore why participants

14

sought assistance from counselors for educational planning needs, but not career-related

needs. Perhaps students associate counselors primarily with school-related issues, and are

unaware of the career guidance services that are available to them. (p. 153)

It is conceivable that most high school students do not know about the various tasks counselors

can complete for the students, such as career exploration assistance.

Other influences have been listed in various studies such as Ladany, Melincoff,

Constantine, Love (1997), which looked at aspects such as friends, gender, ethnicity, and

teachers. A variety of factors have made a range of significant impacts on high school students.

In most cases, their experiences and background are factors which have the greatest influence on

them.

Part Time Work Influence

Perhaps part time employment while in high school is an experience that has an impact

on what students choose to do in the future. Obviously working too much, or even too little, can

have a negative impact on students' studies, but Rothstein (2007) states, " ... working during

school may motivate youths to study harder to achieve a celiain career goal" (p. 197).

Rothstein's research focused on the impact of pati time employment on students ' grade point

average.

Oettinger (1999) states, "employment might increase the quantity or productivity of study

time if it complements academic effOli, for example by increasing motivation or 'future­

orientedness '" (p. 137). After working long hours, the student employees may find that they

think that this is not for them. Working long tough hours may put thoughts into their heads of

wanting something more, or just wanting something different. Whether this is considered

positive or negative does not matter, their job had an impact on them and influenced what they

chose to do. Both Rothstein (2007) and Oettinger (1999) were exploring how student part time

15

employment affected academic performance. In the end they both came to similar conclusions

that working over 20 hours per week was too much and academics and attendance suffered

because of it. But working somewhere in the middle, about 10 to 15 hours per week, was

beneficial. Those students learned valuable work skills and time management.

Some researchers have looked to see what students' thoughts are on working a part time

job. Stern and Briggs (2001) explored the relationship of paid employment while in secondary

school, and reported actual high school student opinions on the subject. Most of the opinions

stated in the aliicle depict student attitudes toward work as a necessary evil that taught them

things to make them better for the greater goal down the road. They concluded the following:

Three trains of thought can be found ... working may enhance students' commitment to

school if they believe that school and work are both preparing them for the

future ... secondly, some students find their jobs to be so unpleasant that they serve as

object lessons, warning them to stay in school. .. thirdly, in a more positive vein, other

students write that work and school are sometimes interesting and enjoyable, at the

present time. (Stern & Briggs, 2001, p. 370)

The first two thoughts have a major impact on what students choose to do after high school. If it

is a training/preparation idea, one could possibly conclude that these students have thoughts and

ideas to pursue a career or education related to that job. Perhaps they want to "climb the ladder"

in that field. The other side to that idea is the second train of thought from Stern and Briggs,

which is that students' jobs are so miserable that they need to go to school to find something that

they like better. Nonetheless, whether positive or negative, that pari time job influenced those

students to doing something else, such as go to school. Stern and Briggs' findings reinforced

previous studies (Rothstein , 2007; Oettinger, 1999) that explored how working a part time job

while in high school effects school performance. However, with reflections from the students

16

such as the one stated above, their study also shows the impact that part time employment has on

career choice.

Interestingly, Can, Wright, & Brody (1996) showed different positive and negative

effects of working a part time job while in high school. The positive effects were labor force

participation, income, and employment. The negatives effects were a lesser chance at higher

educational attainment. While their results do not align with other studies, it should be pointed

out that the subjects of this study were from 1979. Thirty years later it is probable that people's

goals are different and more people are going on to post secondary education whether they

worked during high school or not. Carr ef al. continued previous research which showed that

working a part time job in high school has an impact on the years that follow high school.

According to them, there are effects that can impact those into their early thirties. Perhaps they

could also be influential effects when relating to career decisions.

Summary

There have been numerous studies which have investigated factors which affect career

choice. However, no study was found that asked the question, does part time employment in high

school influence a senior high school student's career and/or post secondary educational choices?

This new study will continue to shed light on the subject and help educators, parents, and

guidance counselors guide students into careers that are appropriate and desirable.

17

Chapter III: Methodology

Subject Selection and Description

Approximately 280 male and female senior students from a high school in west central

Wisconsin were identified from the school secretary as being 18 years old or older. Since seniors

in high school are the closest to going on to a career and/or post secondary education, they were

chosen to take part in this study. FUlihermore, only those seniors who were 18 years old or older

at the time that the study was conducted were chosen to paJiicipate in the study. This was

necessary as parental/guardian permission would have been needed in order for minors to

participate. In the interest of time, minors were omitted from the study.

Instrumentation

An eleven question survey was created by the researcher. It included questions regarding:

where high school students worked, how many hours they worked, what kind of work they did,

and if working influenced their career and/or educational choices after high school. A copy of the

survey is located in Appendix A.

Data Collection

In March of 2010, the teachers of the senior students who were identified as being 18

years old or older were alerted to the researcher's intent and study. The teachers were asked to

distribute the survey during their fifth hour class to only those senior students. Fifth hour covers

the time period in which a majority of the senior students were in the building, since many

seniors have open campus privileges during periods one, two, six and seven. The students

completed the survey during their fifth hour class and returned it to the fifth hour teacher. The

fifth hour teacher collected all completed surveys in an envelope and returned them to the

researcher's mail box in the main office by the end of fifth period.

18

A consent form was given to the senior students at the high school. After reading the information

provided, if the students agreed to paliicipate they completed the survey. If the students did not

want to participate, they turned in a blank survey. A copy of the consent form is located in

Appendix B.

Data analysis

The results of the survey were analyzed through qualitative research by interpretive

analysis to identify if part time employment has an effect on what career choices high school

seniors plan on making after high school. After collecting the surveys, the data was tabulated and

put into tables that related to the research questions. The results were then analyzed

interpretively to gain an in-depth understanding of how the students made their decisions. The

results of the survey were also analyzed for discussions with the school's School to Work

Coordinator as another possible way of helping the teachers, guidance counselors, and the

School to Work Coordinator to guide the students ' pathways in their education.

Limitations

The biggest limitation of this study is that the results cannot be generalized to the larger

population since a randomized sample of high school seniors was not used. Convenience

sampling was used as the researcher drew his sample from the high school seniors from the

school where he is employed. Ifmore time were available, more students would be included.

This is difficult when dealing with student attendance, colleague cooperation, and student

interest in the research work.

Furthelmore, there have been no pilot studies conducted to determine the survey's

validity or reliability. The survey was only created for this specific study.

19

Chapter IV: Results

Introduction

The intention of this study was to determine students' perceptions of the relationship

between having a paIi time job while in high school and the influence those experiences can have

on students' career and/or educational choices after high school. One hundred and twenty seven

senior male and female seniors were surveyed in a west central Wisconsin high school. The

survey instrument's purpose was to find out who worked, how much, what type of work, and if

the type of employment influenced their post-high school decisions.

Two hundred and forty-three surveys were handed out to the 18 year old or older senior

students, 127 were fully completed; that is a 52% return rate. This low percent can be attributed

to absenteeism and students not wanting to participate.

Demographics

The survey instrument was handed out to fifth hour teachers to survey 243 seniors who

were 18 years old or older. Of the 127 returned surveys, 59% of the respondents were male and

41 % of the respondents were female. A vast maj ority of the students, 95%, said that they have or

have had a part time job. Of the 121 students stating that they had jobs, 58% were male and 42%

were female.

Type of Business

High school students work a variety of different types of jobs for paIi time employment.

Students were asked what type of business they worked for. They were asked to circle all that

have applied to them. Table 1 below describes the breakdown for the different student

employment types. Restaurant work was the highest type of employment for the students; fifty­

six students responded that they had employment in that area. The second highest area of

employment was retail stores, such as Target, Walmart, and Kohl's Department store. Fifteen

20

students reported that they had worked for this type of employer. The next highest type of work

was working with children, which includes, babysitting, daycare, camps, and coaching.

Seventeen students responded that they had jobs working with children.

Table 1 Student Employment Types Type of Business

Restaurant Retail Store Working with Children Grocery Store Ente11ainment Fann Hard Labor Medical Gym Car Wash Office National Guard National Guard Vet State Park Marina Hair Salon

Number of Students

56 20 17 15 15 10 8 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 1

Students who stated that part time work had influenced their post-high school educational

and career choices had some similar results, but there were also differences. Table 2 below

shows the breakdown for the different student employment types who said that their pm1 time

employment had influenced their post-secondary educational and career choices. Restaurant was

still the number one choice, with 25 students saying they had worked in that area. However, the

second highest area was working with children; ten students said that they worked in that area.

Following working with children, the next tlU'ee highest responses were retail stores,

ente11ainment, and the medical field.

21

Table 2 Student Employment Types (Those Students Influenced by Part-Time Employment) Type of Business Number of Students Restaurant 25 Working with Children 10 Retail Store 7 Entertairunent 6 Medical 5 Grocery Store 4 Farm 3 Hard Labor 2 Gym 1 Offi~ 1 National Guard 1 V~ 1

Hours Per Week Question five on the survey asked students how many hours per week did they work at

their current job. Five choices were given; 1 - 5, 6 - 1 0, 11 - 15, 16 - 20 and more than 20. The

results were distributed evenly across 4 of the 5 choices from 6 - 10 to more than 20 hours per

week. This was the same for all students and those who stated that their pmt time employment

had influenced their post-secondary and career choices.

Job Satisfaction

Job satisfaction could playa role in one's career decision. Students were asked if they

were satisfied with their most recent part time job. Seventy-one percent of the respondents who

had indicated that their part time employment had influenced their post-secondary and career

choices said that they were satisfied with their most recent part time job. Seventy percent of all

the respondents overall stated that they were satisfied with their part time job. Thirty percent of

all the respondents stated no, that they were not satisfied with their most recent pmt time job.

Furthermore, 71 % of the unsatisfied students were male.

22

Post High School Plans

Question seven of the survey asked students to state what their post high school plans

were. Students were given the choice of military, four year university or college, technical

college, apprenticeship, entering the work force, or other. The highest choice overall was four

year university or college; 83.5% of the students chose this option. The second highest choice

was technical college with 10.7%, and the remaining 3.3% of students chose the military.

When looking at those students who stated that they were influenced by their PaIt time job the

results were similar.

Influences on Post Secondary Plans

Question eight of the survey asked students to list what sorts of things have influenced

them on their post secondary plans. Answers varied, but there was much consistency among

certain items, such as family, personal interests, income, part time job, and school. Family was

the highest choice. Table 3 describes the results of question eight for all students surveyed and

those students who said that their part time employment had influenced their post-secondary and

career choices.

Table 3 Influences on Post Secondmy Plans Influence All Respondents

Family 55 PaIt Time Job 48 Personal Interests 31 Specific Classes 28 Friends 19 Income 14 Life Goals 14 Sports 6 Teachers 6 Grades 6 Volunteer Activities 4 Location 4 Desire for more education 4

Respondents Who Indicated that PaIt Time Job Influenced Their choices

19 48 o 7 4 9 8 3 2 2 2 1 o

23

Interestingly, when comparing the overall group to those students who said that their part

time employment had influenced their post-secondary educational and career choices, part time

job was the highest choice, followed by family.

Part Time Employment Influence

On the survey students were asked if their part time jobs have influenced their post

secondary plans and/or their career choices. If they answered yes they were asked to give

examples and describe how their jobs have influenced their choices. Students gave various

examples for both questions nine and ten, and these examples will be given in chapter five:

Discussion.

Career Choice

For the final question on the survey, students were asked to write down what career they

are planning on pursuing. Various answers were collected. The largest career choice given was

the Math/Science/Engineering field, with 21.5%, followed by the medical field, with 15.7%.

Table 4 describes the results for all students surveyed.

Table 4 Career Choice Career Group Number of Students Percentage Math/Science/Engineering 26 21.5% Medical 19 15.7% Business 17 14% Education 14 11.6% Unknown 12 9.9% Communications 9 7.4% Public Service (Govenunent) 8 6.6% Service 5 4.1% Animal Science 4 3.3% Arts 4 3.3% Automotive 3 2.5%

The results of career choice for those students who stated that their part time employment

had influenced their post-secondary educational and career choices was slightly different than

24

that of the entire group surveyed. The highest career choice for those students was the medical

field, 22.9%, followed by Math/Science/Engineering field, 14.5%, and then the education field,

12.5%.

The final chapter, Discussion, will talk about the results of the surveys and attempt to

draw upon some conclusions of the study.

25

Chapter V: Discussion

Introduction

Life after high school is an important time for any student. During this transitional time

period many students an~ making college commitments, searching for career choices, and

exploring the different possibilities that lay ahead . Several studies have identified the various

influences that effect the choices that senior students make as they leave high school and go on

to the next pmt of their lives. Some of these influences include parents, school, interests, extra­

curricular activities, and others. One area that seems to have been overlooked is a student's palt

time employment during high school. What effect does this experience have on the young adult's

life? Does part time employment influence a senior high school student's career choice?

Senior students 18 years old or older were given the oppOltunity to give their opinions if their

part time employment had influenced their post secondary educational or career choices. Using a

survey instrument pmticipants were asked where they worked, how many hours they worked, if

they were satisfied with their job, and what career they were planning on pursuing. The results

were analyzed interpretively to determine if there were any trends and correlation between the

data. Fmther analysis was also done to determine if any of this research could be used by the

School to Work Coordinator for helping place students in coop opportunities for credit and

exposing students to fields that perhaps they would be interested in as potential careers.

Limitations

This study'S biggest limitation was that only one school was surveyed. If more than one

school was studied perhaps a more broad generalization could be made about the study.

Furthermore, student palticipation in this study was limited. Perhaps a wider age range could be

used in the future to incl ude students less than 18 years of age. Due to the fact that

parental/guardian permission would have been needed for minorities to participate; it would have

26

taken longer to conduct the study. Finally, assuming that all students were completely honest is a

limitation. Due to the age of the participants in the study, some may have provided false

information and the results may not have been entirely accurate.

Discussion of Survey Results

This study attempted to answer three research questions. The first question was does

working a part time job influence a student's career choice? The results of the survey generated

interesting findings. Approximately 39.6% students who stated that they had or have had a part

time job indicated that they were influenced by that part time job for their career choice. Whether

this number is high or low remains to be seen. This researcher could not find any results of

similar research having been conducted in the past. However, one could conclude that the 39.6%

could have been higher; it is possible that some students have not realized the influence that their

part time employment has had on their career choice or post high school educational plans.

The question regarding with the amount of time worked at ajob had very little difference

between all students and those students who were influenced by their pm1 time job. It is safe to

say this factor has no effect on career influence for this group of respondents. However, a

suggestion for future research may find otherwise with a larger sample surveyed.

The second research question was does the type of business a student works for influence

a student's career choice? Where students worked and if they were influenced by it for their

potential career choice had a large relationship. One of the largest career fields of choice was the

medical field. Additionally the education field was high on the list. One student who worked at a

daycare stated on the survey, "I want to go into elementary education, so it (the job) showed me

that I can handle it and that I love being with kids." Another student stated, "I am going to be a

nurse, so working in a nursing home helped me mold my ideas on what an ideal nurse should

be." One could argue that both fields offer potentially rewarding results with patient and student

27

success stories. It could be possible that many students enjoyed the positives of their part time

jobs working with children and/or patients and saw themselves going into a career that relates to

that pati time job. They experienced rewarding work, and many of those students wish to

continue that.

The third research question was how does gender in relation with pati time employment

influence a student's career choice? Interestingly enough, many students stated that their pati

time work influenced them in their career choices, but negatively. Several students commented

that working at their part time job helped them realize that they did not wish to continue doing

that line of work for the rest of their lives. This tended to be more common among males than

females. The results coincided with Creed and Patton's (2003) research which stated that

adolescent females matured earlier than males in their career attitude, which entails

independence, a sense of responsibility, and a greater understanding of work. Furthermore, they

also found females' response to working experience was more mature than that of males of the

same age. Most of the males surveyed in this research who stated opinions on their work

experience did part time work that is considered to be hard or dull labor, such as landscaping,

waiting tables, cleaning, or working in a fast food restaurant. One male student wrote, "working

in a restaurant made me want to go to college more than I already did, because I'd rather spend

four more years in school and do something I enjoy than wait tables for the rest of my life."

Another opinion was, "I realized that I want to get out of the movie theatre and into a real

profession." Finding out what you like and do not like is a major part of developing into an adult.

Realizations such as, "working there has made me realize that hourly labor is defiantly not

something I want to do all my life," can be considered a rite of passage for many, but it is just

one way how some students are influenced towards or steered away from certain careers. Of the

30% of students from question six on the survey who stated that they were not satisfied with

28

their part time job, all wrote comments similar to the ones above, stating how their part work

experience made them aware that they wished to do something else with their lives.

Conclusion

The students offered several insights to their thoughts on the impact of part time work on

their future. Some of the other comments included:

I learned to really enjoy working with others and seeing how one thing can be shared

throughout a community.

It has taught me responsibilities and also to socially interact with people I do not know.

I work in a restaurant and I enjoy it. I have the opportunity to advance here, and I would

like to take advantage of it.

These reflections on part time employment not only help students realize the importance of

work, but also how it connects to the next step in life.

This information could be considered invaluable to School to Work Coordinators when dealing

with students who are starting to think about what careers they wish to go into. Many times a

high school student finds a part time job simply based on type of employment, pay, and

availability. But, ifit is possible working with a high school's School to Work Coordinator, one

could perhaps find a part time job related to his or her career aspirations. Whether the end result

is positive or negative, students could find out early if that line of work interests them; the more

preparation, the better.

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References

Briggs, D., & Stern, D. (2001). Does paid employment help or hinder performance in secondary

school? insights from US high school students. Journal of Education and Work, J 4(3),

355-372.

Carr, R. V., Wright, J. D., & Brody, C. J. (1996). Effects of high school work experience a

decade later: evidence from the national longitudinal survey. Sociology of Education,

69(January),66-81.

Creed, P. A., & Patton, W. (2003). Differences in career attitude and career knowledge for high

school students with and without paid work experience. International Journal for

Educational and Vocational Guidance, 3,21-33.

Daire, A.P., LaMothe, S., & Fuller, D.P. (2007). Differences between black/african american and

white college students regarding influences on high school completion, college

attendance, and career choice. The Career Development Quarterly, 55(March),275-279.

Domene, J.F., Shapka, J.D., & Keating, D.P. (2006). Educational and career-related help-seeking

in high school: an exploration of students' choices. Canadian Journal of Counseling,

40(3),145-159.

Holland, J. 1. (1997). Making vocational choices: a theory of vocational personalities and work

environments. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources Inc.

Kniveton, B. H. (2004). The influences and motivations on which students base their choice of

career. Research in Education, 72,47-59.

Ladany, N., Melincoff, D. S., Constantine, M. G., & Love, R. (1997). At-risk urban high school

students' commitment to career choices. Journal of Counseling & Development, 76,45-

52.

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Malgwi, C. A., Howe, M. A., & Burnaby, P. A. (2005). Influences on students' choice of college

major. Journal of Education for Business, May/June, 275-282.

Marsh, H. W. (1991). Employment during high school: character building or a subversion of

academic goals? Sociology of Education, 64 (July), 172-189.

Neill, N., Mulholland, G., Ross, V., & Leckey, 1. (2004). The influence of part-time work on

student placement. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 28(2), 123-137.

Oettinger, G. S. (1999). Does high school employment affect high school academic

performance? Industrial and Labor Relations Revie"w, 53(1), 136-151.

Paa, H.K. & Hawley McWhirter, E. (2000). Perceived influences on high school students'

current career expectations. The Career Development Quarterly, 49(September), 29-49.

Paternoster, R., Bushway, S., Brame, R., & Apel, R. (2003). The effect of teenage employment

on delinquency and problem behaviors. Social Forces, 82(September), 297-335.

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by barbadian youth: a preliminary assessment, Journal of Eastern Caribbean Studies,

27(4), 30-54.

Singh, K., Chang, M., & Dika, S. (2007) The effect of part-time work on school achievement

during high school. Journal of Educational Research, 101 (1), 12-22.

Weller, N. F., Kelder, S. H., Cooper, S. P., Basen-Engquist, K., & Tortolero, S. R. (2003).

School-year employment among high school students: effects on academic, social, and

physical functioning. Adolescence, 38(151),442-458.

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Appendix A: Student Survey

This research has been approved by the UW-Stout IRB as required by the Code of Federal Regulations Title 45 Part 46.

Part Time Employment Questionnaire

Instructions:

31

Please answer all questions completely and honestly. DO NOT PUT YOUR NAME ON THIS PAPER. Turn it in when you are done. Please do not talk while you are filling this survey out. Your participation is strictly voluntary. Thank you.

1. Gender? a. Male

b. Female

2. Do you or did you have a part time job? a. Yes

b. No, if you answered no, stop here and turn in your paper into your teacher

3. If you answered YES to the question above, what type business do/did have you worked for? Please circle all that apply

a. Restaurant (ex: Sit Down or Fast Food)

b. Retail Store (ex: Target, Menards, Sears, etc.)

c. Grocery Store

d. Farm

e. Enteliainment (ex: Golf course, movie theater, etc.)

f. Other:

4. What type of worl{ do/did you mainly do? Please circle all that apply and write the job that applies next to your choice

a. Desk Work (ex: filing papers, answering phones, etc)

b. Low intensity (ex: cashier, taking tickets)

c. Low physical labor (ex: Stocking shelves, Serving food)

d. Intense physical labor (ex: Digging ditches, back breaking)

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5. With your most recent job, on average, how many hours per week do/did you work? a. 1 - 5 b. 6 - 10

c. 11 - 15

d.16-20

e. More than 20

6. Yes or No are/were you satisfied with your most recent job? a. Yes b. No

7. What are your plans for after high school? a. Military

b. 4 Year College or University c. Technical College d. Apprenticeship e. Enter the Work force

f. Other: ------------------------

8. What things have influenced your post high school plans?

9. Has your most recent part time job influenced your post high school plans? a. Yes

i. If Yes, please list examples :

b. No

10. Has your most recent part time job influenced your career choice? a. Yes

i. If Yes, please list examples:

b. No

11 . What career do you want to pursue? __________________________ _

Appendix B: Consent Form

Consent to Participate in UW-Stout Approved Research

Title: The Effects of Part Time Employment on High School Seniors' Career Choice

Investigator:

Dan Weiland 1501 Vine Street Hudson, WI 54015 715-377-3800 x6233

Description:

Research Sponsor:

Kimberly Martinez, Ph.D. School of Ed ucation UW-Stout 426 McCalmont BaH 715-232-2160

The purpose of this study is to determine students' perceptions of the relationship between having a part time job while in high school and the influence those experiences can have on students' career and/or educational choices after high school.

Risks and Benefits:

33

There are no immediate risks known for being a part of this study. The benefits include being a pmi of a study that will fmiher the infOlmation on how part time jobs impact student career choices and this will help future teachers and guidance counselors guide students to their proper career choices after high school.

Special Populations:

18 year old and older High school seniors will be asked to participate in this study.

Time Commitment and Payment:

Approximately 10 - 15 minutes of one class period is needed to complete this study's survey.

Confidentiality:

Your name will not be included on any documents. The researcher does not believe that you can be identified from any of this information.

Right to Withdraw:

Your participation in this study is entirely voluntary. You may choose to not participate without any adverse consequences to you. However, should you choose to pmiicipate and later wish to withdraw from this study, there is no way to identify your anonymous document after it has been turned into the investigator.

34

IRB Approval:

This study has been reviewed and approved by the University of Wisconsin-Stout's Institutional Review Board (JRB). The IRB has determined that this study meets the ethical obligations required by federal law and University policies. If you have questions, concerns, or reports regarding your rights as a research subject, please contact the IRB Administrator.

Investigator:

Dan Weiland 1501 Vine Street Hudson, WI 54015 715-377-3800 x6233

Research Sponsor:

Kimberly Martinez, Ph.D. School of Education UW-Stout 426 McCalmont Hall 715-232-2160

Statement of Consent:

IRB Administrator:

Sue Foxwell, Director, Research Services 152 Vocational Rehabilitation Bldg. UW-Stout Menomonie, WI 54751 715-232-2477 foxwells@uwstout.edu

By completing the survey you agree to participate in the project entitled, How Working a Pmi Time Job Influences a High School Senior's Career Choice.